Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are expected to enter the luxury tax next season with Doc Rivers and Jon Horst presenting to ownership plans to keep the core of the team intact, according to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

That sounds like re-signing Brook Lopez. He has declined at age 37, but he was still Milwaukee's third-best player last season.

If everyone opts in and they otherwise fill their roster with minimum-salary free agents, the Bucks project to have about $14 million below the luxury-tax line to sign Lopez. Being willing to enter the tax would take keeping Lopez from unlikely to likely.

However, keeping intact a first-round loser – even if Damian Lillard gets fully healthy as quickly as possible – isn't exactly inspiring. If they stay below the first apron (projected $21 million below without counting Lopez), the Bucks could use the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to upgrade.

Bobby Portis declining his $13,445,754 player option would provide more wiggle room, but that'd also mean losing a helpful player in Portis. Milwaukee could try to unload Kyle Kuzma, but that would likewise mean shedding a player who's supposed to contribute on the floor. Using a pick to dump Pat Connaughton would mean not using the pick to upgrade on the court.

Basically, the Bucks must choose between unattractive options. But if they're willing to pay the tax again – they're already paying the repeater rate this year – that makes it somewhat easier to build a quality roster.

Any player ought to appreciate that financial commitment.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to start next season with the Bucks, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, who also emphasize the current situation is fluid and could change through the offseason.

Whether he's actually considering leaving, Antetokounmpo is clearly trying to pressure the franchise to maintain its commitment to winning. This is his playbook.

Milwaukee again paying the tax would be a big step.

It's worth pointing out, though: The tax isn't assessed until the end of the season. The Bucks could cross the tax line over the summer, convince Antetokounmpo to stay then dodge the tax by the trade deadline.

That said, they're not trying to convince Antetokounmpo to sign an extension – just not to request a trade. If he feels mistreated, he'll ask out next year.

Plus, crossing the tax line now – even if they get out later – is still better than immediately treating it as a hard cap. If Milwaukee's season goes south, Antetokounmpo might even tolerate a retreat by the trade deadline to reset for the future.

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant prefers the Spurs or Rockets, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports.

Both because he's on an expiring contract and can choose where he extends and because the Suns seemingly want to do right by him, Durant has say in his destination

But the acquiring team must still satisfy Phoenix in a trade. The teams in Texas – where Durant attended college – have more than enough assets to do so. The question: Do they want to?

Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook is opting out, according to Marc Stein.

The projected 10-plus-years-of-service minimum salary next season ($3,634,148) is slightly higher than Westbrook's player-option salary ($3,468,960). Westbrook might even be able to secure another 1+1 deal, getting security into 2027.

There's a chance the Nuggets encouraged him to opt out with the promise of a new one-year deal at the higher minimum. Not only would that mean Westbrook gets paid more, because he'd be on a one-year minimum contract, he'd count less toward the cap and tax for Denver (just the two-year-experience minimum, projected to be $2,296,271).

But absent a pre-arranged deal, Westbrook's actual minimum salary is $0. He's a tricky fit on and off the court, and he was reportedly central to the Nuggets' chemistry issues last season with Michael Malone giving Westbrook special treatment befitting the star Westbrook used to be. Though he has transformed his game to be more of a defensive-first hustle player, Westbrook is at least still perceived to hold a level of entitlement. Malone might have erred by kowtowing to Westbrook, but there's a fear the coach's problems would've been worse if he didn't.

Westbrook probably comes out ahead by opting out, regardless. But if he doesn't have a new deal already lined up, with the Nuggets or otherwise, there's a non-zero chance the 36-year-old falls out of the league.

New York Knicks

There's still belief Mavericks coach Jason Kidd or Bulls coach Billy Donovan could coach the Knicks, despite Dallas and Chicago both denying permission for New York to speak with the coaches, according to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

The Knicks have effectively pressured both the Mavericks and Bulls to extend those coaches. If not paid satisfactorily, either coach could agitate to leave. Kidd has a long history of forcing his way to new situations, demanding trades as a player and fire-storming his way from Nets coach to Bucks coach. A New York native, Billy Donovan has also previously taken his career into his own hands, backing out of a deal to coach the Magic to stay at Florida.

A question: How long will the Knicks wait?

Tyrese Haliburton

On one side of the NBA Finals, there's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. On the other side…

That's the most points ever in the Finals before a player's first game with a free throw.

The previous record? Patty Mills in 2014, when he scored 51 points and attempted no free throws in the entirety of the Spurs' 4-1 win over the Heat.

Most points in the Finals before a player's first game with a free throw:

*Full series

Rick Carlisle

Rick Carlisle's last Pistons team had the NBA's slowest pace – in a league where pace was way slower. The fastest-paced team in 2002-03 (Kings) had a 95.4 pace. This year's SLOWEST-paced team (Celtics) had a 95.7 pace.

Carlisle's Detroit team was practically on another planet at 86.8.

As good of a coach as he was, Carlisle was seen as too rigid – both in his play-calling and relationships with players. That earned reputation followed him from the Pistons to Pacers to Mavericks.

Now, he's back in Indiana, coaching the up-tempo Pacers in the NBA Finals while holding a great connection with Tyrese Haliburton.

Excellent story from Jamal Collier and Tim MacMahon of ESPN tracing Carlisle's evolution, particularly through his experience with Jason Kidd as point guard in Dallas.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The Pacers are picking up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander WAY higher than anyone else has and therefore keeping him off the ball WAY more than anyone else has, Owen Phillips of The F5 covers fantastically.

Draft

Watch Nate and Jonathan Givony of ESPN preview the draft:

David Greenwood

David Greenwood – whom the Bulls drafted No. 2 in 1979 after losing a coinflip for the No. 1 pick and Magic Johnson – has died at age 68.

The sting in Chicago dissipated, as the Bulls drafted Michael Jordan in 1984.

Greenwood, meanwhile, went to have a fine career. He peaked early, making the All-Rookie team then averaging 18 points and seven rebounds per game in the 1981 playoffs. But he still played 12 years in the league, mostly with the Bulls and Spurs, and won a ring with the 1990 Pistons.

-Dan Feldman